IMDb RATING
2.3/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.
Helena Dalli
- Maria
- (as Helena Abella)
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It's amusing to see that Hollywood later borrowed ideas from this film, and used it in BLACK RAIN many years later. Joe Don Baker plays a texas cop ordered to take a prisoner (venantini) back to Italy. But he escapes. Lots of action and exploitation sequences as Venantini goes crazy of some female victims. Rosanno Brazzi has a thankless role as a bad guy, and Venantini is really great as a villain. This was the last of the Greydon Clark/Baker production. The film even has a catchy end credit song. The video print is dark, and the DVD is also dark and scratchy, but I remember the old HBO print was excellent.
Joe Don Baker is an alright to good actor in small roles here and there...he was alright in Goldeneye and made a pretty good Bond villan in The Living Daylights and has appeared in various other movies. One thing he can't do is carry a movie as the lead, which he is in this extremely bad revenge movie set in Malta. Joe Don's partner is killed so he kills the killer's brother and escorts the killer to Italy, but some guys cause the plane to set down in Malta and the killer gets away. The rest of the movie is seeing Joe Don chase the killer here and there, Joe Don getting taken into custody various times, Joe Don torturing a bartendar and being interrupted and so on. The movie is quite bad and you won't find yourself exactly pulling for Joe Don's character. You will be amazed at how many times Joe Don the hero gets taken out by one punch and how incompetent he proves to be. The crowning part of the movie comes when Joe Don chases the killer all over Malta with the killer in a priest robe and then they get in boats and he chases them all around Malta. This movie also features one of the worst closing lines to end a movie ever.
Unbelievably pointless
How many times can you watch Joe Don Baker getting up from a cell bunk? Or hear him say "Go ahead on"? Well this piece of cinematic detritus will test your endurance to the max, and chances are, perhaps, that you won't be able to make it; at least not without the cast of MST3K, who are masters at turning mere nonsense into hilarious nonsense. Not only is the alleged hero a thoroughly unlikable lout, but most of the time, when he's not bullying the stereotyped Maltese locals around, he's getting beaten up, jailed or he's making bad on promises. Plus he says "Go ahead on" alot. Annoying as hell, I tells ya. In short, complete, nigh-ineffectual jerk. He seems real good on the draw, however, thanks to bad editing and timing.
How many times can you watch Joe Don Baker getting up from a cell bunk? Or hear him say "Go ahead on"? Well this piece of cinematic detritus will test your endurance to the max, and chances are, perhaps, that you won't be able to make it; at least not without the cast of MST3K, who are masters at turning mere nonsense into hilarious nonsense. Not only is the alleged hero a thoroughly unlikable lout, but most of the time, when he's not bullying the stereotyped Maltese locals around, he's getting beaten up, jailed or he's making bad on promises. Plus he says "Go ahead on" alot. Annoying as hell, I tells ya. In short, complete, nigh-ineffectual jerk. He seems real good on the draw, however, thanks to bad editing and timing.
The MST3K print of this is, in my humble opinion, one of the funniest things they have ever done. I was on the floor. That is primarily the fault of the movie itself, though. OK, we've got a Texas "Indian" (despite the name Geronimo, which I thought was just an amusing nickname, I had no idea he was supposed to be Indian until the end). He lumbers around and when challenged, says, "You think you can take me? ....Go 'head 'on. It's your move." Possibly the stupidest catch phrase ever. The plot keeps going in the same circle - Joe Don is told by someone to let things alone, he doesn't, he manages to destroy something or someone, he is hauled back into an office of authority, lectured, and told not to do it again. Then he sneers and goes and does it again. As seems to be typical of Joe Don in these years (see Mitchell), he intentionally plays his hero as a clumsy, close-minded, stupid but dogged individual. I mean, I appreciate realism, but I don't exactly want to see my hero hit his head on ceiling posts, stumble over tables, or dribble food down his shirt. Let's leave those little enticing details of the human condition out of a two hour film. Man, this movie is packed with laughs...see it if you can, preferably MST version, but this one is so 'good bad' that you can pretty easily supply the commentary yourself, even if you don't consider yourself a renowned wit.
I can describe what I think of this movie in simple terms: a terrible movie. But that doesn't go far enough for a review. Fortunately for myself, I saw the MST version thus saving myself from any pain. This movie so deserves to be on the bottom 100 list. The dialogue to this movie is awful, much like the acting. Don't bother getting me started on the plot. Never ever see this movie unless it's the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version.
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie grew in popularity when Mystery Science Theater 3000 made fun of it.
- GoofsWilson says that the US has had excellent relations with Malta for "over a hundred years." Malta has only been an independent nation since 1964.
- Quotes
[after capturing Palermo in Texas]
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III: You have the right to remain silent...
[kicks him in the head]
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III: ...and all that other shit.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Final Justice (1999)
- SoundtracksThe Sound of Justice
Music by David Bell
Words by John Wilkman
Performed by David Morgan
- How long is Final Justice?Powered by Alexa
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